Fatigue
by DrHoneyChuckles
Summary: One-shot tag of the episode Thirty Six Hours. The gang's all here!


_Disclaimer: I don't own Numb3rs. :( I don't even have a poster._

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><p>Don stopped the SUV and put it into park. He then turned the key and the car shuddered to a stop. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Charlie was out cold in the back seat. He sighed. Nikki looked back. "So that's why he got quiet."<p>

Don smiled slightly. "I expect you to go straight home and get some sleep. Got it, Nikki?"

"Got it, Boss. Don't need to tell me twice." Nikki replied with a yawn. She quickly got out of the car. That's when she remembered the stack of paperwork that would be waiting for her tomorrow. She walked towards the building. Better at least do a little bit now.

Don rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. He was so tired. He envied Charlie at the moment. He unbuckled his seat belt and twisted around. He put a hand on Charlie's knee. "Hey, bud." He shook Charlie's knee gently. The mathematician tried to blink the sleep out of his eyes. He looked utterly confused. "We're at the FBI building. Why don't you run in and get Amita and I can drive you guys home."

It took a second for Charlie to process what Don was saying. "Oh… okay." He unfastened his seatbelt and then opened the door.

Don leaned back in his seat. He tapped on the steering wheel to keep his attention. His chin dropped to his chest and he jerked upright again. This was going to be the longest ten minutes of his life.

Nikki brushed past Colby on her way over to her cubicle. "Hey, have you seen David?" he asked.

"No, just got back." Nikki replied. She felt bad for the duo. They'd just gotten back from a stakeout when they'd had been called out for this train mess. She couldn't imagine how tired they were. Colby started to walk away. "Hey, Idaho." She called.

"Ya?"

"You gonna be okay to drive home?"

Colby didn't even turn around. He just waved a dismissive hand. "I'll be fine."

Nikki shrugged. "Alright then." She sat down at her desk and sighed as she saw the massive stack of papers. She put her feet up on her desk and sat the stack in her lap. She put a hand over her mouth as she yawned again. Maybe she should have just gone home. Nah. She'd be fine. A few files and she'd go home.

Colby walked into the locker room. He was greeted by the familiar sound of David snoring. He chuckled slightly. "Hey, man, get up. I'm gonna drive you home."

"Alright…" came the drowsy reply.

'_Yes! I won't have to touch him to- oh crap.' _He heard the snores again. He rolled his eyes. Of course he would do that. Of course he would make him drag him out of this locker room and to his apartment. "Hey, David, come on." Colby crossed the room and slightly touched his shoulder. The senior agent didn't budge. Colby groaned and shoved harder. "David, I'm tired too, okay? I only slept for an hour or so in that ambulance before you messed things up."

David's eyes snapped open. "I what?"

'_Craaaaaaaaap. Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap...' _"Before you missed the heads up." He tried to make his voice sound as convincing as possible. Groggy David bought it. He sat up and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Come on, man." Colby urged. "I wanna go to bed as much as you do."

"You can crash at my place tonight."

"I was hoping you'd say that."

Don was yet again driving in silence. His two passengers were not asleep, but they were definitely keeping quiet. He desperately wished they would talk. He needed something to keep his mind focused on something other than how many hours he'd gone without sleep now. His caffeine had lost effect a long time ago and right now he was desperately wishing for a coffee. Right now he was so desperate he'd probably drink Granger's coffee without a fuss.

He didn't remember driving there, but soon they were at Don's childhood home in Pasadena. He eagerly shifted the car out of gear and pulled the keys out as he hopped out of the car. Amita and Charlie were soon to follow. Charlie stepped ahead so that he could unlock the door to the house. He flicked the lights on as he walked in.

"Want a beer?" Charlie asked out of habit.

"Sure." Don replied out of habit.

Amita smirked at the two. It was always the same old same old for them. It didn't matter what time it was or what had happened beforehand. Charlie trudged over to the kitchen. Don settled himself on the couch. Amita sat on the couch beside the one Don was on. "So did you find out why he did it?"

"Ya." Don replied. He pinched the bridge of his nose and then let his hand fall into his lap. "The… uh… manager dude… was…" yawn "trying to… to… cut…. … corners." He barely got the last word out before he relaxed fully back on the couch. His head rolled slightly to the side as it rested on the back of the couch.

Amita smiled as she saw the even rising and falling of his chest. She got up and walked over to the kitchen doorway. "I'd cancel that beer." She said.

Charlie peeked out from behind the fridge door. "Why?" he asked curiously.

"Don's already asleep. Almost fell asleep mid-sentence."

"Oh." Charlie closed the fridge door empty handed. The two walked over to the couch. Charlie sat down and then Amita laid down with her head resting on his legs. She was soon sound asleep. Charlie was left stroking her hair.

He thought about the case and about the boy's inhaler. He thought about what would have happened if David wouldn't have dove into the wreckage. That woman would have lost a husband and a son.

He suddenly understood what Don meant when he said that his mind was a dark place after a case.

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><p><em>AN: Let me know what you guys think of this! I wasn't real sure with how it turned out, but I enjoyed writing it. :D And be prepared. I'm brainstorming for another multi-chapter story._


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